How To Write A Scholarship Essay

This guide is intended to help you create an outline for writing your personal
essay. It is not intended to be used as a worksheet. Your personal essay should
be about 500 words, no more than two pages double spaced, and recently
written. Please make sure your essay is free of punctuation and spelling errors with good grammar and capitalization.

Explain your educational goals:

What do you want to study? What do you want to do after CEI? What inspires you?

Example:

What career do you want to pursue and why?

Explain why you choose the College of Eastern Idaho for your education:

Why do you want to attend the College of Eastern Idaho?

Examples:

What programs, clubs or groups are you excited to be a part of?

What part of studentlife appeals to you?

Has anyone else in your family attended CEI?

What brought you here?

Explain how a scholarship will assist you in accomplishing your educational goals:

Why do you need a scholarship? What difference is an education going to make in your life?
How will it impact your future employment? How will it positively impact the community?

Examples:

Parents can’t afford to help you with college, you won’t be able to have a full-time
job while going to school, you want to be able to focus on your classes/family, you have
experienced/are experiencing financial hardship, etc.

Talk about your accomplishments, service, or community participation:

Describe any community service that you have been involved in. Include ways you
contribute to your school, home, church, and community. Let us know what activities you
participate in or volunteer for. List any awards or recognition you received.

Examples:

Participation in clubs or sports, honors or awards you have received, responsibilities,
jobs, community service, volunteer work, leadership roles, strengths or talents, etc.

Tell us what makes you stand out above the rest:

What additional information do you want the selection committee to know? What sets you
apart from the other applicants? What makes you unique?

Examples:

What obstacles have you overcome?

What challenges are you going through?

What motivates you to do your best?

Describe your family/life experiences.

What change are you hoping to make in the world?

Download How To Write A Scholarship Essay Instructions

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